


K-9: Thunder Pup

by BlueEyedArcher



Series: K-9 Universe [2]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Being Lost, Collars, Cuddling & Snuggling, Deputy in Danger, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear of Heights, Fluff, Jacob to the rescue, M/M, Master/Pet, Mute Deputy, Mutism, One Shot, One Shot of K-9, Panic Attacks, Parachutes are evil, Rook is stuck in a tree, Stockholm Syndrome, Stranded, Teasing, planes, selective mute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 21:32:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14860674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: Rook has an immense fear of heights that nobody else is aware of. He is petrified any time he has to do a task which involves this fear and Hope County is brimming with people eager to get him up in high sketchy places. One such interaction doesn't go as planned and leaves Rook caught up in a tree with no help in sight. His greatest fears are coming true all at once and he's about to lose all hope when a familiar if not surprising face comes to the rescue.[ This is a separate work that follows up Chapter 10 of K-9. It's in the same story line, time frame and universe but not directly a part of the story. Just a cute fluffy addition.]





	K-9: Thunder Pup

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment and kudos down below of what you think. Thank you!

Contrary to popular belief, Rook is not fearless. Far from it in fact. Of course, a lot of the usual fears that civilians deal with day in and day out are trained out of him at the academy. He’s taught to think critically, to analyse a situation and to adapt and overcome when problems fall into his path. He had become very good at this and so far, had show exceptional skill in his fight to free Hope County. He no longer flinches at gunfire, he doesn’t flee from wild animals that would normally get his feet going and he’s not afraid to stand in the middle of the road with a rifle, waiting for one of Eden’s Gate’s prisoner vans to come round the corner and narrowly avoid being run over just to kill the driver. He’s learned to steel himself and stay firm in his actions. Many take his inevitable silence as exuding strength and brawn. Something too many people have tuned into from action movies of the hero being the strong silent brooding type. Well he wasn’t batman.

 

He did an amazing job of avoiding his fears so far, sticking to a harmless routine until the Seed’s rolled out a red carpet of chaos and every corner was one problem after another. It started with the fight to defend Nick Rye’s home and recovering his plane from the Seed Ranch. Rook was absolutely petrified when Nick radioed him to have him fly it back to his hangar. Rook stood there, staring at Carmina for what felt like hours before he forced himself to climb into the pilot’s seat and fly it down the main landing track. He kept it level, easy enough to fly until Nick started coaching him on diagnostic checks, bank here, turn there, dive down towards the fucking river. Rook’s never screamed so loud in his life when the plane took too sharp of a dive from the sensitivity of the controls. He saw his life flash before his teary eyes, praying to whatever God that was above to not let this be his end. When he finally touched down, he could hardly stand up, walking into the hangar as Nick gave his plane all the love and affection he might his actual wife.

 

Rook was actually really damn happy when the peggies rolled in and Nick told him to stay on the ground. He found himself a little nook and fought from the safety of the sturdiest ground level places he could find.

 

The following incidences continued, with Adelaide’s chopper Tulip and all the other tasks and missions that forced him to climb up to high places to do ridiculously dangerous and stupid work. Between Dutch, Tammy, Addie, Larry and Nick, he was certain they were all trying to kill him off early to save the Seed’s some trouble.

 

It wasn’t until his latest mission that he reached a breaking point. He had been tasked by Tammy to do some work around the Whitetail Mountains, given a plane he was directed to blow up a couple choice wolf beacons that were ridiculously hard to get to from the ground, further causing trouble for Jacob in the process. To everyone else, it sounded easy enough, fun even. Rook gripped the steering console until his knuckles were white, dreading every second until the last target was destroyed. It was too late for his radar to kick in when one of Jacob’s chopper convoys came at him with a vengeance, setting his tail end ablaze. Rook was forced to bail out with a parachute, managing to disappear in the treetops of the canopy below, his parachute blending in with his surroundings but ultimately tangling him up in the branches.

 

The choppers above swept through the tree line, searching as hard as they could for any sign of the ‘sinner’. This lasted for half an hour before the coast was clear. Rook struggled in the tangle of branches, looking up at the mess and hoping he could find some way free. Every movement made the support branches creak and groan threateningly. He gasped, grappling for the ropes in a frantic attempt to stay up. His gaze dropped to inspect the twenty foot drop below and the flimsy looking branches around him that wouldn’t be able to support his weight at all. It reminded him of war stories where pilots get stuck up in trees in enemy territory. If they’re not discovered by the soldiers patrolling the area, they eventually end up dying, those branches and knotted mass of parachute chords becomes their makeshift tomb. That’s if, they don’t chance the drop, most of the time a broken leg or predators were just as likely to end them. That was something Rook wasn’t keen on attempting.

 

He hung there, for a few hours before night fell over the horizon and the chill of the mountain air started to set in. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself as he fought off the brief nips of autumn curling into the weather, easing summer off to be forgotten. The orchards were already filling up with fresh fruit as the festive season pulled closer. He made a pitiful sound in his throat, thinking about how he’d rather be back in Holland Valley having a couple beers with his friends at The Spread Eagle where it was warm and comforting and not stuck in a tree in the cold. He could hear the distant traffic of vehicles rolling up and down the dirt roads, the peggies were always so busy and diligent even as night fell, their work continued, spreading their terror like a plague. It was true what they say, evil never sleeps.

 

Rook sniffled softly, fingers gripping the strings of his chute, it wasn’t so bad, he considered. He had a nice view and at least in the dark, he couldn’t see the drop. He gave a shaky breath, sliding his hands down to feel their way around, a yelp ripping from his throat when the branches above groaned. The breeze picking up for a few moments as the tension increased. He whimpered, clutching at the strings in a futile attempt to hold on for dear life. His body swayed slowly, the ropes twisting in the jarring motions. Rook reached down once more, his motions slower as he searched his pockets for anything useful. His fingers touched his handgun which wouldn’t really do him any good in the dark. Next was his knife, an idea he really wanted nothing to do with at the moment. He wasn’t that desperate yet. After a bit of feeling around he finally found a familiar cylindrical shape. He was careful to pull it out of his pocket, looping the small thread of para-cord around his wrist so as to not drop it, fingers fumbling to find the switch as he checked the beam. It was the small military grade flashlight Dutch had given him. The bright white light shined through the darkest caves and lit up the furthest out of other lights he’s used.

 

He gave it a quick check and was relieved that it worked, cutting through the foliage a good twenty feet or so. He turned the beam off and took a shaky breath before he started to click the button over and over again. Three short bursts of light, just quick flashes then three longer held ones followed by three more short bursts. He pauses for thirty seconds before he repeats it, over and over again. He does it in a couple different directions, two or three sets at a time, hoping that someone will see his light and come to help him. For all he cares, he doesn’t even mind if its a bunch of peggies cause at least he’ll be saved to live another day or at least they’ll shoot him and put him out of his misery.

 

Rook continued this pattern for nearly an hour, until his fingers were sore and stiff, from both the cold and the repetitive clicking. He feared the switch was going to break a few times and the last few sets it started to get stuck. He whimpered softly again, working the button free as he continued his clicking. The sound of tires on hard gravel road startled him, causing him to fumble with the light as it was shut off. He stopped and listened as the rumble of the truck died down to the idle quiet of the forest. Doors opened and slammed shut, a residual sound, almost too faint to pick up at first of boots on the earth. The subtle crunch of dry leaves and twigs as footsteps worked their way through the woods. It wasn’t long before a light beamed through the trees, searching the bases. Rook felt his heart beat pick up, thrumming away in his chest with hope as he clicked the light a few more times  until the button got stuck again.

 

He silently cursed, fumbling with it before the harsh rays of a light blasted him in the face from an offending beam. He squeezed his eyes shut, reaching his hands up to cover his face. The motion jarred the parachute enough to make the branches groan, stirring a terrified yelp from his lips as he grappled for the ropes once more only to make it worse. He whimpered softly as a voice rose from below. “Oh, it’s just you pup. Whatcha doing all the way up there?” The low rumble of the deeper voice caused Rook’s eyes to widen. He dared a look, squinting down at the tall broad shouldered figure standing casually at the base. He lowered the light just enough to be seen, for those sharp blue eyes to break through the darkness and gaze up at him like a hungry wolf.

 

Rook could see the rifle hanging over one shoulder, Jacob looked more like he was ready to go hunting instead of coming to his pet’s rescue. It had been a little while since the two had one of their little rendezvous, both of them had been far too busy and Jacob hadn’t summoned him to their special little cabin away from all the chaos for some one on one alone time. If Rook was being honest, he desperately missed it. Jacob shined the light back up at him, inspecting the tangled mess of parachute and the pitiful pup dangling at the mercy of a few flimsy branches. He clicked his tongue a few times. “You got yourself up there in a nasty way pup. Good job with the flashlight though. I saw your SOS from the road.” He did a quiet walk around the tree, looking around for a few minutes before he started heading back towards his truck. “Give me a minute.”

 

Rook waited. He waited for several minutes, listening to the rustling and banging of Jacob moving equipment around in the back of his truck. The man had pretty much anything you could possibly need in the back of that truck, prepared for any situation and he proved that as he came back towards Rook with a couple of duffel bags. One was specially made just for storing long lengths of rope in, looking like a repelling kit. He hooked it up in an adjacent tree with stronger branches and a firmer trunk. It took half an hour of working in the dark, the larger man climbing from branch to branch like he was part black bear, scaling each length as he laid out his handiwork. He hooked up a harness around his waist, securing it with his ropes and using a heavy duty pulley system to stabilize him. He bit the flashlight in his mouth as he worked, climbing up the tree that Rook was attached to and used a length of rope and a heavy duty carabiner to make a makeshift harness and connected him to Jacob’s own official set. He worked easily, undeterred by the height or the fact it was pitch black out. He didn’t speak, mostly due to the flashlight.

 

Once Rook was connected to his body, the fun part was about to start. He handed his flashlight over to Rook as he unsheathed his knife from his belt. “Hold this just like that.” He adjusted Rook’s hands so the light was aimed at the ropes above them. Rook’s eyes went wide when he realized just what Jacob was going to do. He shook his head fervently, his hands already shaking, causing the light to tremble in his fingers. Jacob only chuckled low in his throat as he nodded. “I can’t get you down any other way. Don’t worry, you won’t fall far.” He reached up to cut the first rope but stalled as the deputy’s fingers curled into the front of his shirt, his eyes wide and pleading at him. He only offered a smirk of amusement and slid the blade across the tense cord. It broke free with ease, the loss caused the branch to groan and give a little. A strangled cry left Rook’s chest as his body shifted, his grip on Jacob tightened, wrapping his arms around the eldest Seed’s torso. Jacob placed a hand in Rook’s hair and pet his head as he hushed his sounds. “Quiet. If someone hears, there will be trouble.” He warned as he slid the blade over the second tangle of cording.

 

Rook was not ashamed of his fears or the fact he was reduced to tears every time one of those cords broke free. His life was flashing before his eyes, one that was far too short for his liking and not at all exciting. His memories lingered on the last few months, most specifically, his time spent with Jacob. Despite all the terrible things the man had done to him, Rook couldn’t help but cherish many of them. The fondness, the affection the eldest Seed showed him. Jacob revealed a part of Rook that he himself had kept buried, too afraid to acknowledge its existence. He spent many of his last days curled up to the man’s lap, an obedient and loving pet resting at the feet of his master, a similar form of fondness returned in his master’s gestures. All gentle touches and kind intentions, as long as they were met with obedience.

 

As another cord was cut, Rook squeezed tighter to Jacob, hearing the hearty laugh from the soldier, feeling it resonate within his chest, the amusement that came from his pet’s fearful state was somewhat calming. If only by a fraction. In Rook’s mind, this was better than dying alone because at least he was with somebody. At least there was a witness to his end and he would find some form of peace in that because at least it was Jacob who would see it.

 

A few more slices later and some more terrified whimpers and yelps from Rook and he was freed from the confines of the tree. Jacob returned the knife to his belt and held his pet tight to his chest, adjusting him so he couldn’t get caught up on branches on the way down. “Hold on tight.” He warned, waiting for the Deputy to reaffirm his hold, locking his wrists around the broad shoulders before Jacob slowly pushed away from the tree and let them sway in place. His hands worked the lines expertly, lowering them at a measured pace until they were safely on the ground. He tried to get Rook to stand but the moment their feet touched the earth, his legs gave out underneath him and they were both reduced to kneeling in the dirt.

 

The flashlight dropped from the deputy’s grasp as he unraveled to frantic sobs and trembling, barely grasping to Jacob’s shoulders as the shock of the experience and immense relief came crashing down on top of him. It was a sight that had gone from amusing in the start to concerning by the end of it. The deputy had been beaten, starved, stabbed, shot at, tortured physically and psychologically and never once has any of the Seeds seen him shed a single solitary tear or show any form of weakness. He was always quiet and passive, even when Jacob had torn him down piece by piece until there was nothing left, Rook remained firm and defiant but a few hours tangled up in a tree in the dark and the man looked like they had slaughtered his entire family and made him watch.

 

Jacob worked to detach the deputy from his harness, working the ropes free of their bindings and freeing Rook to further melt into the forest floor. Even in the darkness, Jacob could see the distortion of grief on his features, watched his gloved hands dig into the dirt as if should he let go, he’ll be snatched away and put right back up in that tree. The soldier sighed, removing his jacket from his shoulders and draping it around the sobbing deputy’s shoulders, giving them a firm pat. “It’s alright now. You’re safe pup.” He reminded as he pushed to his feet and continued to tear down the contraptions and put his equipment away. It was a lot faster to do then putting it up in the first place, just tossing it all in the bed of his truck to be tended to at a later time. He returned to the deputy last, wrapping strong arms around his shoulders and trying to coax his shaken form up into his arms, knowing full well that Rook wouldn’t be able to walk on his own. Partially because he was so distraught but also, the prolonged hanging of his body in the air made his lower half fall asleep. Jacob knew from personal experience that his legs were going to hurt like hell when the feeling comes back.

 

Rook didn’t fight it, just submitted to the soldier’s hold, melting into it as he was carried around to the passenger side of the truck. It was already running, the heat inside was blasting to help thaw the cold chill that had set in to Rook’s body. He was sat down in the seat, the door closed carefully as Jacob moved around the front of the truck and climbed up inside the driver’s seat. The drive was quiet as he pulled out of the narrow back road leading behind the woods. The silence within the vehicle was disturbed only briefly by Rook’s quiet sniffles and the hum of the heaters. Jacob handled the steering wheel casually as if they were on a leisurely stroll through the countryside at night, just admiring the stars and the wildlife. The road was familiar, the route being taken was to their cabin, working their way up a recently cleared back path that had previously been closed off by rusted iron gates and some water flooding the path in recent rains.

 

Rook started to show signs of restlessness and discomfort as they neared, his hands gripping his thighs, fingers pressing in hard with tense motions. His breathing had become unsettled but not nearly as erratic as it had been in the woods. Jacob parked the truck and helped carry Rook into the house, his pet hissed in pain as his legs were handled, the soldier’s thoughts confirmed as he carefully carried him inside the cabin and laid him on the large dog bed by the fire. The same bed that Rook had occupied back at Jacob’s compound. The man mused as he raised his hand to ruffle his pet’s hair, noticing the dark leather of his collar peaking out from beneath the fabric of his jacket. “Stay.” Jacob commanded but it was gentle, lacking the usual firmness and bite that had been present in the past. Rook nodded slowly, watching as the soldier went outside, only to return moments later with a stack of firewood to place in the hearth. A few minutes of work and the fire roared to life.

 

Jacob eased Rook out of his filthy clothing, helping him undress carefully. He replaced his jacket with the deputy’s favorite blanket kept stored safely away in one of the cabinets and wrapped him up nice and tight. A canteen of water was placed in shaking hands. Rook was a rag doll in the soldier’s hold, his gaze distant, staring off at a fixed point. Any attempts at conversing with the deputy was already a hard enough pursuit but now it was completely non-existent. Any other time, Jacob would have just laughed, that something so simple could be so jarring. Had it been anybody else, Jacob would have laughed. He wouldn’t have cared. He would have kept driving, not stopping for a moment to wonder for their safety. But Rook wasn’t just anybody.

 

He’s seen the deputy go through hell and back without flinching. He’s been through every atrocity imaginable, some of which were dealt by Jacob’s own hands. He had a measure of respect for the man. More than that, he had a level of understanding that was rare. They had grown close in the last few months, in ways that weren’t supposed to fit people at war. But they weren’t just people. This war, the last and many others in between, both personal and political, they had been through it all, let it sink their claws deep into them and tear them apart. When it finally released them, they were raw and vulnerable and left in a state so primal they could be deemed nothing less than animals. It didn’t matter what skin they wore or what uniforms they played dress up in, they were nothing more than beasts in sheep’s clothing. Beasts that still had weaknesses. He preached about strength and lectured those about fear, but Jacob knew deep down that an animal without fear is an animal doomed to die. It was rabid, irrational and reckless. It didn’t think, just acted and would eventually succumb to the insanity that dwells within. He had considered Rook to be on that path, watching the man endure everything thrown at him but he was relieved to find he still held fear in his heart. It would keep him sane, keep him safe and help him survive.

 

Jacob seated himself in the worn armchair, sinking down with a weary sigh. His hands rested on the sides as he tipped his head back. His body ached, stiff from a hard day’s work. He was on his way back to the cabin when he saw the light, had considered ignoring it but a part of him told him to stop. A voice in the back of his mind _knew._  Maybe it was God guiding his hand, giving him another sign or maybe it was something more, something deeper than that that only they shared.

 

There was soft rustling by his side, the weight of a body rested against his legs, causing Jacob to look up. His blue eyes gazed upon the weary tear stained face of his pet. His eyes swollen and red from his upset, face smudged a bit from dirt and skin holding the light hues of sun burn, rather it was fresh or fading, he couldn’t tell. The deputy rested his head against his thigh, slotting his body between Jacob’s legs and resting against the base of the chair, his arms wrapped around the soldier’s lower calf seeking comfort. Jacob raised his lips into a smile and let his hand rest atop Rook’s head, fingers curling through the disheveled mess of his hair. The tension in the deputy’s shoulders melted away at the familiar reassuring motions as the hand brushed back and forth. Jacob sighed, shaking his head in amusement as he tipped his head back into the cushion of the chair, eyes staring up at the ceiling before they fluttered shut. “Good boy, pup.” He praised softly.


End file.
